Sanitary urinal insert



Dec. 2, 1,941. I -w HERBST 2,264,528

SANITARY URINALINSERT Filed Aug. 3, I940 A T TOENE vs Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SANITARY URINAL msnn'r William B. Herbst, Redwood City, Calif. Application August '3, 1940, Serial No. 350,868 ,5 Claims. I (01. 4-110) The present invention relates to improvements in a sanitary urinal insert, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a sanitary urinal insert, which is designed to be placed inside of the tubular inlet of a urinal used in a bed. The insert covers the outer rim of the inlet and extends the full length of the tubular inlet, thereby protecting the patients organ from contacting with the interior of the tube. The insert is intended to be thrown away after use and a new one substituted therefor.

In hospitals, frequently the same urinal is used to take care of a number of patients, or at least the same urinal may reach a number of patients without beingsterilized. The possibility of the spread of venereal and skin diseases is great, since no steps are taken to sterilize the device after each use by different patients. The sanitary insert that I provide eliminates this hazard, inasmuch as it prevents any part of the male or female organ from contacting with the tubular inlet of the device.

The insert is extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and may be easily applied to the urinal.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a urinal showing the sanitary insert in position;-

' Figure 2 an end view of the insert formed into a cylinder and ready to be applied to the urinal;

Figure 3 a plan view of the device;

Figure 4 an end view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 a plan view. of a modified form of the device; and

Figure 6 an end view of Figure 5,

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a urinal indicated generally at A in Figure 1. The urinal has a reservoir I a tubular inlet 2 communicating with the reservoir and a handle 3. The outer end of the tubular inlet has a rim bead 4.

The sanitary insert is illustrated at 1B in Figures 3 and 4, and comprises a fiat piece of material 5 that has an upper edge curved as at 6. It will be noted that the curved edge is not coextensive with the length of the flat piece 5, but terminates short of each end to provide end flaps v I for a purpose presently to be described.

The body of the sanitary insert may be made from any desired material. I have found that Lumarith material is especially satisfactory to use for making the insert for it is an improved acetate type of cellulose that will not sustain germ life. It prevents the sustenance and growth of mold or germ life on its entire surface. .An insert of this material will clean itself without boiling and may be used again. However, I prefer to make the insert inexpensive enough to permit it to be thrown away after one use.

In Figure 2 I show the body 5 as being formed into a cylinder and the ends 6a of the curved portion 6 abutting each other. The end flaps overlie each other a slight distance to prevent any slot or opening occurring where the body 5 is joined. The insert, when formed in the manner set forth in Figure 2, is now moved into the tubular inlet 2.

The curved edge 6 will protect the bead 4 from touching the patient, and the inward introduction of the insert is limited by the edge 6 contacting with the bead 4. The length of the insert preferably is such as to extendbeyond the inner end of the inlet 2 and practically contacts with the bottom 8 of the urinal. Full sanitary protection for the male organ is'provided in this way inasmuch as the entire inner surface of the tubular inlet is covered with the insert.

After use the mere emptying of the contents from the reservoir through the tube 2 will carry the insert B therewith. In the event that the insert should tend to stick, the curved edge 6 may be gripped for removing the insert.

The insert B extends down into the reservoir l and beyond the inner edge of the tubular inlet 2 and this forms a trap for the fluid at the end la of the reservoir. The trapped fluid will have less tendency to accidentally flow through the tube 2 in case the urinal should be tipped. The curve 6 preferably has a one-fourth inch radius and the thickness of the material is ten one-thousandths of an inch. I do not wish to be confined to either measurement, since it is obvious that the size and thickness of material will vary with the requirements.

A modified form of the insert is shown at C in Figures 5 and 6. The size and shape of this form are identical with form B. A paper back ing 9 thick enough to hold its shape is used in this form. The backing has a thin layer of sanitary material afflxed thereto. This arrangement will provide a strong, yet inexpensive, device. The curved portion I I and the end flaps l2 are similar to the curved portion 6 and end flaps I of the form B. The device C functions in the same manner as the device B and, therefore, no

further description need be given.

The sanitary insert is adjustable for tubular inlets of different diameters. If the tube is large, the ends 6a of the curved portion will not abut each other. On the other hand, if the circumference of the inlet is smaller than the length of the curved portion 6, then the material is flexible enough to permit the ends 6a of the curved portions to telescope. I

I claim:

1. A sanitary urinal insertcomprising a flat body with a transversely curved and longitudinally-extending edge, said body having flaps projecting beyond the ends of the curved edge, said body being rollable into a cylinder with the ends of the curved edge abutting each other and the end flaps overlying one another, said cylinder having a tendency to expand due to its own resiliency and to the curved edge so as to snugly contact with the inner surface of the urinal neck, the curved edge also protecting the urinal neck rim.

2. A sanitary urinal insert comprising a normally flat piece of flexible material made of Lumarith, the piece being rectangular in shape and havingone of its longitudinal edges transversely curved to form a rim that stops short of each end of the flat piece, said piece being r0ll able into a cylinder and insertable into the urinal neck for providing it with a removable and sanitary lining that is longer than the neck, the curved rim overlying the edge of the neck for protecting it.

3. A sanitary insert comprising a body composed of a layer of relatively stifl material for holding its shape, and a layer of thin material composed of an improved acetate type of cellulose that will not sustain germ life, the body being flexible and rectangular in shape with a curved-edge extending substantially from end to end of the body but terminating short thereof to provide flaps.

4. The combination with a urinal having a tubular inlet extending downwardly toward the bottom of the urinal reservoir, of a normally flat and sanitary insert rollable into a cylinder and mounted in the tubular inlet for lining the entire surface of the tubular inlet, the insert extending beyond the inner end of the tubular inlet substantially to the bottom of the urinal reservoir for providing a pocket at the front of the urinal for trapping the fluid.

5. A sanitary urinal insert comprising a rectangular piece of material that cannot sustain germ life and having a width slightly greater than the length of the urinal inlet neck and a length greater than the inner neck periphery, said material having a transversely curved portion extending along one longitudinal edge thereof and having a length less than the length of the edge from which it extends, whereby when the material is rolled into a tube and inserted into the urinal neck, the tendency of the material to return to a flat position will cause it to snugly contact with the inner neck wall, and the curved comes wet from the urine.

WILLIAM B. HERBS'I. 

